' Corresponding author. United States of America Trade in Ornamental Fish. Abstract FRANK A. CHAPMAN' AND SHARON A. FITZ-COY

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1 JOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY Vol. 8, No. I March, 1997 United States of America Trade in Ornamental Fish FRANK A. CHAPMAN' AND SHARON A. FITZ-COY Depurttnent OJ Fisheries und Aquatic Sciences, University of Floridu, 79 N.W. 71 Street, Gainesville. Florida 3653 USA ERIC M. THUNBERG AND CHARLES M. ADAMS Department o j Fond und Resource Ecotintnics, P.O. Box 11040, Universit.y of Flot-idu, Guinesville. Florida 3611 USA Abstract Ornamental fish production is among the leading cash crops of the United States of America aquaculture economy, and retail value of the fish trade is worth approximately US$l,OOO million. However, few studies exist to document this trade. Using import and export documents we report trends in total values for the U.S. trade in ornamental fish. Also, we determined the number and value of the most commonly imported ornamental fish. In 199, approximately 01 million fish valued at $44.7 million were imported into the U.S. The port of Los Angeles handled 39% of all trade activity, Miami %, New York 1696, Tampa 6%, and Honolulu 6%. Freshwater fish accounted for approximately 96% of the total volume and 80% of the value of the imports. Most freshwater ornamental fish were farm-raised and imported from Southeast Asia. Most U.S. exports of ornamental fish were cultured in the state of Florida. Although saltwater fish had a high market value (0% of the declared value of the imports), the volume of these fish was only 4%. Most imported and exported saltwater ornamental fish were collected from the wild. Of the 1,539 species declared as ornamental fish, 3 species dominated the trade. These were all of freshwater origin. The guppy Poeciliu reticulala and neon tetra Parucheirodon innesi were the most popular ornamental fish kept in U.S. households. The average prices paid for imported ornamental freshwater fish were 45 cents for egg layers and cents for live bearers. The results of this study document the importance of the ornamental fish industry and identifies the most valuable species in the trade for potential domestic culture and protection in the wild. Worldwide, the ornamental (or aquarium) fish hobby is a multi-million dollar industry, and the United States of America is considered the largest market for ornamental fish in the world (Conroy 1975; Hemley 1984; Andrews 1990). In 1994,56% of U.S. households (estimated at 94. million in total) had pets, and 10.6% owned ornamental freshwater and saltwater fish; with an average of 8.8 fish per household (APPMA 1994). The U.S. pet industry in 1993 was estimated at US$3.6 billion, and the retail value for the fish hobby was worth US$0.91 billion (Pet Dealer 1993). Sales associated with the ornamental fish hobby included ' Corresponding author. aquarium accessories (57.7%), reef products (3.8%), freshwater livestock (30.8%), and saltwater livestock (7.7%). Few studies exist to document the trade on ornamental fish (Conroy 1975; Hemley 1984; Ramsey 1985; Andrews 1990). Unlike the foodfish industry, where a relatively small number of species are cultured (approximately 95, Pillay 1990), the trade in ornamental fish is believed to number into the thousands of species, including their varieties (Conroy 1975; Hemley 1984; Ramsey 1985). In this article, trends in total import and export values for the U.S. trade of ornamental fish are reported. The number and value of the ornamental fish species most commonly imported into the United States of America are also examined. Q Copyrighl by the World Aqueculture Society

2 CHAPMAN ET AL. Data and Analysis Data in this report were obtained from two major sources: 1) trade information on import and export data, compiled by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, which is available in Microfiche and CD-ROM; and ) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife (Form 3-177). The declaration forms were obtained from the USFWS, Division of Law Enforcement, through a Freedom of Information Act request. Microfiche and CD-ROM Files Since 198, the recording of U.S. import and export data has been the responsibility of the U.S. Bureau of the Census. These data are obtained from the declarations of shipments (Form 3-177) recorded with U.S. Custom s officials, as required by law for nearly all overseas transfers. Prior to 1989, however, no specific category was established to represent the imports and exports of ornamental fish. Ornamental fish data were grouped in the general category, fish or shellfish-live-other than for human consumption. Included in this category were live trout, carps, eels, and other live fish. Only in 1989 did the Bureau employ a detailed coding system, with ornamental fish data being placed under the separate category, fish-ornamental-live. Based on data analyzed after 1989, when all live commodities were assigned to specific categories, it was ascertained that the number of imported or exported live fish or shellfish (other than for human consumption) was relatively small when compared to ornamental fish. Therefore, while we cannot be certain of the actual numbers for ornamental fish in the pre-1989 period, we assumed that imports and exports of ornamental fish accounted for the majority of the totals for the live fishhhellfish category. The year 1988 was one of code-transition for the Bureau, and ornamental fish data were placed on another broad category, live animals-nspf. Because of the impossibility of obtaining an accurate measure of ornamental fish totals within this category, data for 1988 were not tabulated in the analysis. Form Specific fish species entries were obtained directly from the USFWS Form This declaration form differentiates if the fish are imports or exports, the exporter and importer agents, and the ports of export and entry. The form also identifies the quantity, scientific name, common name, domestic value, and country of origin. Data declared in a given shipment were sometimes difficult to interpret. Sometimes it was impossible to match the scientific name to the fish being traded. Traditional common names (and their regional synonyms) became more useful to identify the particular fish species. Also, not all import declaration forms indicated if the species were cultured or collected from the wild. Last, the country of origin of the shipments was not always known since transhipments were common. Included in the declaration forms were invertebrates such as shrimps, corals, sea urchins, crabs and live rock. The total number and monetary value of these invertebrates were significantly low (< 1 %) and not included in the analysis. The species entry forms (3-177) analyzed included only those for the month of October 199. Ramsey (1985) conducted a similar trade study of ornamental fish imported by the United States of America during October This month, therefore, provided a comparison period for detecting major shifts in the trade after a 0-yr period. Also, in terms of fish numbers and monetary values of the shipments, October represented an average season (Fig. 1). A particular month may underestimate the value of some species, especially those collected seasonally in the wild such as the clown loach Botia macracantha, and cardinal tetra Parucheirodon uxelrodi.

3 US. TRADE IN ORNAMENTAL FLSH iz -g 8 $,000 - m -a s $1,500- Y u $4, p... $4,000 $3,500 * 0.!3 $3,000 g $,500 W $1,000 - Monthly value of US imports (p$3,57*13) T Monthly value of US exports (p.=$l,olof113) a. T I T After the data collection process had been completed, monthly totals for each country and fish species were computed. The data were grouped into ten geographical regions: United States of America (U.S.), Canada, Central America (including Caribbean Islands), South America, Europe (including Russia), Africa, Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia (and Pacific Islands), and other to determine areas active in ornamental fish trade. Prices for individual fish were derived from shipping invoices attached to each importation declaration (Form 3-177). Because of different shipment sizes (fish number and values), the declared price for a species was calculated using a weighted mean. Monetary values are represented in nominal U.S. dollars ($). Results World Sources of US. Imported Ornamental Fish From 1989 to 199, almost 79% of all U.S. ornamental fish imports arrived from Southeast Asia and Japan (Table 1). Singa- pore, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Indonesia were the top five exporting nations. South America was the second largest exporting region accounting for 14% of the total annual value. Colombia, Brazil and Peru were the major suppliers. The remaining 7% of ornamental fish imports came from other regions of the world. Prominent exporting countries included Costa Rica, Trinidad, and Haiti in Central America and in Africa, Nigeria and Zaire. A few imports arrived from Australia and other Pacific Islands (primarily the Marshall and Fiji Islands). Europe plays only a minor trade role. The USFWS, Division of Law Enforcement has designated 11 ports of entry for live ornamental fish (Federal Register 199). Shipments originating in Canada and Mexico may enter other specified ports. Patterns of import and export trade activities indicated that Los Angeles (39%), Miami (%), New York (16%), Tampa (6%), and Honolulu (6%) were the major ports for entry of Ornamental fish in the United States of America during 199 (Table ).

4 4 CHAPMAN E7' Al.. TABLE I. World suppliers und destinations of U.S. ornamental fish inports and e.uports from 1989 to 199. Source: U S. Bureau of Census. Suppliers Destinations Region Total imports (%) Region Total exports (%) Southeast Asia 74.5 Canada 9.0 South America 14.0 Southeast Asia 5.3 Japan 3.7 Europe 0.3 Africa. I Japan 17.6 Australia. I Central America 6.4 Central America.7 South America I.o Europe 0.5 Other 0.4 Other 0.4 Value of Ornamental Fish Imports Ornamental fish imports into the United States of America are growing (Fig. ). The value of ornamental fish imports increased by approximately 34% from the to the period. During the latter time period the annual value of imports remained relatively stable, ranging from $6.5 million to a high of $9. million. Annual imports over rose from $38. million in 1989 to $41.1 million in 199 although falling in 1991 to $36.1. The relatively large increase during I99 compared to could be due to changes in import document codes implemented in The reason for the decline in import values in 1991 is not known. TABLE. US. ports of major trade acriviw for ornanienialfish (199). Imports Exports Total number Total number Declared value Trade ports Shipments of fish Declared value ($) of fish of fish ($) Los Angeles, CA" Miami, FL" New York, NY" Tampa, FL Honolulu, HI" San Francisco, CA" Chicago, IL" Detroit, MI Newark, NJ Dallas/Fort Worth, TX" Seattle, WA" Buffalo, NY Portland, OR" Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN Port Huron, MI Agana, GUAM Blaine, WA Atlanta, GA Baltimore, MDa New Orleans, LA" Champlain, NY Total 7,89 4,390 3,159 1,06 1, I ,45 118,66,139 5, ,O ,793,31 1,405,306 5,563,57 4,79,37 6, , ,741 4,49 37,060 3,678 8, ,73 9 3,45 1, ,174,398 4,55, ,538 8,3 1, ,734 1, , ,538, ,O 16 67, , ,90 8,678 6,539 15,38 11,71 5, , I 400 n.d.' $44,730,434 15,051, ,45 1,046 3,36,883 10, ,134 19, ,954 44,90 7,618 4, n.e.' 6,98 me. 5, n.e. 30,355,714 6,909,433 3, ,754 1,043, I I8 708,863 54, ,093 0,334 9,8 6,9 I6 5, n.e. 8,756 n.e n.d. $1 3,469,9 I' USFWS designated Ornamental live fish point of entry. Only Canada and Mexico can ship to other ports. ' n.d. = no value was declared. ' n.e. = no export activity. Data source: US Bureau of Census.

5 U.S. TRADE IN ORNAMENTAL FISH 5 w3 B $ $40,000 s $30,000 s 7 $0,000 -fi s 3 $10, c)... If.... i Q---< Annual value of US imports Year FIGURE. Valirc of U.S. annirnl imports and c.rports of ornamental fish from 198 to 199. Over the period of analysis, monthly imports peaked in January and March and reached a low in June (Fig. 1). February, March and August showed the most variability. June, September, October, and December, by comparison, were relatively constant. The average value of U.S. monthly imports was $3. million for 199. Number and Species of Ornamental Fish Imported into the United States of America Approximately 01 million fish worth $44.7 million were imported into the United States of America in 199 (Table ). Of these, approximately 15.4 million ornamental fish valued at $3.1 million arrived in October 199 (Table 3). The number of declared freshwater and saltwater ornamental fish imported into the United States of America in October 199 totaled 1,539 species. A total of 730 species were of freshwater origin and 809 from saltwater. The freshwater fish accounted for approximately 96% of the total volume and 80% of the total import value. Saltwater fish made up only 4% of the total import, but their dollar value amounted to 0% for October. Of the total of all trade, only 3 species had import values of more than $10,000. These top species are all of freshwater origin and accounted for approximately 58% or $1.8 million of the total imported value of fish. The remaining $1.34 million, 4% of the value, was accounted for by 1,507 species divided into 698 freshwater species ($0.7 million or %) and 809 saltwater species ($0.64 million or 0%). Any species, freshwater or saltwater, not included in Table 3, contributed less than 1% to the total declared import number and value of ornamental fish. The two most popular ornamental fish species imported into the U.S. were the live bearer, guppy Poecilia retidata. and the egg layer, neon tetra Paracheirodon innesi. These two species accounted for 37% of the total number of fish imported and were valued at approximately half a million dollars. These species with four others, the platy Xiphophorus macuhtus, betta Betta splen-

6 6 CHAPMAN ET AL. TABLE 3. Number and value of ornamental fish imported into the United States of America in October 199. Weighted mean Species name Number (%I Value ($) (%) price t SD Poecilia reticulata Paracheirodon innesi Carassius auratus Betta splendens Xiphophorus maculatus Botia macracantha Astronotus ocellatus Pterophyllum scalare Symphysodon discus Apistogramma ramirezi Xiphophorus helleri Colisa lalia Poecilia velifera Poecilia sphenops Barbus tetrazona Balatiocheilus melanopterus Hypostomus plecostomus Kryptopterus bicirrhis Pimelodus pictus Osteoglossum bicirrhosum kbeo bicolor Poecilia latipinna Chanda lala Pelmatochromis kribensis Acanthopthalmus kuhlii Pangasius sutchi Labeo erythrurus Rasbora heteromorpha Telmatherina ladigesi Gyrinocheilus aymonieri Paracheirodon axelrodi Brachygobius xanthozoan Other (698) freshwater species Saltwater (809) species Total 3,986,675 1,748,435 36,390 43,34 837,016 94, ,515 17,534 1, , , ,84 167, ,900 0, 146,O ,683 58, ,430 16, ,4 78,503 4,437 4,7 147,15 136, ,85 133,910, ,355 5, ,930 3,757, ,487 15,441,14 5.8% 11.3%.4%.7% 5.4% 0.6% 1.% 0.8% 0.1% 0.7% 1.O% 0.7% 1.1%.0% 1.3% 1.O% 0.4% 0.7% 0.1% 1.O% 0.5% 1.5% 0.3% 1.O% 0.8% 0.%.4% 1.5% 0.7% 3.9% 4.% 100.0% $ 341,483 $ 174,768 $ 171,06 $ 108,030 $ 105,543 $ 93,300 $ 90,676 $ 7,411 $ 5,13 $ 48,45 $ 44,44 $ 41,199 $ 39,17 $ 38,14 $ 35,708 $ 34,538 $ 33,89 $ 30,711 $ 30,4 $ 3,130 $,33 $,3 $ 1,700 $ 0,043 $ 19,483 $ 18,71 $ 18,050 $ 17,758 $ 15,488 $ 14,758 $ 1,0 $ 10,56 $ 703,171 $ 637,754 $3,16, % 5.53% 5.41% 3.4% 3.34%.95%.87%.9% 1.65% 1.53% 1.41% 1.30% 1.4% 1.1% 1.13% 1.09% 1.05% 0.97% 0.96% 0.73% % 0.70% 0.69% 0.63% 0.6% 0.59% 0.57% 0.56% 0.49% 0.47% 0.39% 0.3%.18% 0.0% 100.0% $0.14? 0.11 $ $1.06? 5.78 $0.3 t 0.84 $0.16? 0.5 $1.9? 0.64 $0.8 t.31 $0.67? 0.5 $4.4 t.3 $ $ $ $ $0.16? 0.10 $ $0.36? 0.30 $0.4? 1.8 $0.5 t 0.13 $0.30? 0.14 $ $ $ $ $0.49 t 0.43 $0.14? 0.01 $ $ $ $1.04? 4.31 $0.06? 0.05 $ $0.11? 0.06 dens, Chinese algae-eater Gyrinocheilus aymonieri, and goldfish Carassius auratus, account for half the total number of ornamental fish imports. In addition, the top five species of these ornamental fish (except for the algae-eater) were valued at above $loo,ooo for each species. With the exception of a few fish that had significant price ranges, (e.g., arowana, discus, goldfish, Celebes rainbowfish, and oscar), the average price declared for an imported fish was between 6 and 8 cents. The average prices paid for imported egg layer and live bearer fish were 45 and cents, respectively. The most commonly im- ported fish, the guppy (a live bearer) and neon tetra (an egg layer) were, however, valued similarly at about 14 cents. The neon tetra had less price variability. The most highly priced ornamental freshwater fish were all egg layers and included the goldfish, discus, arowana, clown loach, black ghost knifefish, and Celebes rainbowfish. The least expensive (commonly) imported freshwater fish was also an egg layer, the Chinese algae-eater Gyrinocheilus aymonieri with an estimated value between 5 and 7 cents. The imported saltwater fish number approximately 809 species belonging to a va-

7 U.S. TRADE IN ORNAMENTAL FISH 7 riety of families. Saltwater ornamental fish species with high monetary value were imported from the Philippines (44.1 %), Indonesia (5.5%), the Marshall Islands (6.%), Nigeria (3.7%), Costa Rica (3.6%), Sri Lanka (3.%), and Australia (.6%). Average prices for saltwater fish were not estimated due to the great variability in individual prices. A review of the taxonomic descent of the commonly imported freshwater species indicated they are primarily of South American and Indonesian origin. However, most species were exported from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand, not their native geographical region (Table 4). It seems reasonable to conclude that most of the imported freshwater species are either transhipped or farm-raised in Southeast Asia. Value of Domestic Exports and Species Traded The more prominent exported ornamental fish included guppies, mollies, swordtails, platies, gouramies, barbs, tetras, armored catfish, and a variety of cichlid species. Ornamental saltwater fish originated primarily from the coastal waters of Florida and Hawaii. Only a handful of saltwater fish species were cultured and only those of the genus Amphiprion were exported in consistent numbers. From 1989 to 199 the total annual value of U.S. exports grew at an average annual rate of 16% (Fig. ). In 1986 total export value was approximately $4.8 million and in 199 export value had more than tripled to $15.1 million. The data analyzed cannot be used to separate the export source from either domestic production or transhipment trade. The largest volume of annual exports went to Canada (9.0%), followed by Southeast Asia (5.3%), Europe (0.3%, primarily to England, The Netherlands, and Germany), Japan (17.6%), Central America (6.4%), and South America (1.O%) (Table 1). Annual exports to the Middle East, Africa, and Pacific Islands combined were less than 1% of the total export value. Average monthly export values showed considerable variability; however, with the exception of four months (January, March, April, and December), exports were between $0.8 to $1.0 million (Fig. 1). Monthly exports peaked in April with a secondary peak in January. February and June were low points. Discussion Households in North America, Europe and Japan buy the bulk of ornamental fish traded in the world. Although a variety of ornamental fish species are available from fish wholesalers, only a few species are preferred by American aquarists. Comparison of our data to Ramsey (1985) indicates that, with a few exceptions, the species of ornamental freshwater fish imported into the U.S. are similar. Of the top 0 species by volume traded in 1971 (Ramsey 1985), 18 remained in the top (Table 5). Likewise, the trade volume of saltwater fish (4%) appears similar to that from a decade ago (approximately 4% reported by Hemley 1984). In 1971, saltwater fish made up approximately 1% of the total number of fish imported (Ramsey 1985). Most of the commonly imported freshwater fish species are of South American, Asian, and African taxonomic origin. Most ornamental fish traded, however, are farmraised freshwater species from Southeast Asia. In South America, little attention has been given to raising ornamental freshwater fish in captivity. It is presumed, therefore, that the South American export trade of ornamental fish is based on the collection of fish from the wild (Conroy 1975). Southeastern Asian countries, on the other hand, have long been famed for the culture of ornamental freshwater fish. Singapore and Hong Kong have become worldwide centers for the purchase and transhipment of ornamental fish. In contrast to freshwater fish, little is known on the culture of saltwater Ornamental fish and to our knowledge most of them are collected from the wild. The Philippines and Indonesia are the main

8 8 CHAPMAN ET AL TABLE 4. Regional snurces of commonly imported ornamental fish into the United States of America. The wlume offish imported is expressed in percenl of the totul number for each species. Country abbreviations: Thuiland (TH), Malaysia (MY), Singapore (SG). Indonesia (ID), Peru (PE), Hong Kong (HK), Colombia (CO). Trinidad & Tobago (TT), Venezuela (VE). South Afii1.u (ZA), India (IN), China (CN), Japan (JP), Korea (KR). Jamaica (JM). Brazil (BR). Guyana (CY). Nigeria (NE), Sri Lanka (LK). SpeciesKountry TH MY SG ID PE HK CO TT VE ZA IN CN JP KR JM BR GY NE LK A. kuhlii A. rumirezi A. ocellatirs B. melanopterits B. tetraznna B. splendens B. maerarantha B.,vanthozoan C. aur-atus C. lalia C. lala G. avmonieri H. plecostonius K. bicirrhis L. hicolor L. erythrtrrirs 0. hicirrhositm P. sutchi P. axelrodi P. innesi P. kribensis P. pictus P. latipinnu P. i.eticrrlata P. sphenops P. \,eli&era P. sculare R. heternmorphu S. discus T. Iadigesi X. helleri X. mucularus 48 8 IS 9 69 s I s LO 13 1 I I I I s I I I I I s I I 1 9s I 1 1 I I 4 3 I I 88 6 I I 79 1 I I IS I I I 1 I I I l l 18 exporters of saltwater ornamentals. In the U.S. saltwater ornamental fish are collected primarily from coastal Florida and Hawaii. Although data analyzed is not conclusive, in-country visitations, conversations with government officials, fish collectors, and owners of fish wholesale houses confirm these conclusions. The demand for ornamental fish appears to be seasonal. The pattern of ornamental fish imports and exports (Fig. 1) indicate a rise during March and April. This rise is most likely associated with a temporary increase in demand for fish during this time. Unfortunately, the reason for this purchas- ing habit is unknown and should be investigated further. Also in early spring, U.S. domestic supply of ornamental fish is low due to delayed production during cold winter months. Broker-wholesalers and domestic farmers import fish to supply the demand until domestic production increases. There are indications that only the commonly imported species are being traded in great numbers at this time. For example, in Florida, indoor production of angelfish and tiger barbs remains the same, but imports rise during the early spring to meet the increased demand for these fish. A comparison between the monthly pattern of orna-

9 U.S. TRADE IN ORNAMENTAL FISH 9 TABLE 5. Priricipul or-numeiitul,jk.shnjater fishes imported into the United Stutes qf Americu. Dutii for 1971,jhm Rumsr-y (1985). Common name GUPPY Neon tetra Platy Siamese fighting fish Goldfish Chinese algae-eater Shortfinned molly Cardinal tetra Glassfish Tiger barb Red Oscar Yucatan molly Redtail black shark Coolie loach Sucker catfish Harlequin rasbora Angelfish White-cloud Green corydoras Leopard corydoras Marbled hatchet fish Common hatchetfish Total n.a. = no data available. Species Poec,ilia rrticirluru Purac.heirodon innrsi Xiphophorus muc~itlatiis Betta splenderis Carassius uurutus Cvrinocheilus aymoriirri Poecilia spheriops Puracheirodon aselrodi Chanda lalu Barhics tetruzona Astronotus ocelluri~s Poeciliu idifkra Luheo hioc~)lor Ai~unthoprhtilrriii.s kithlii Hypostoniiis p1ei~o.stomu.s Rashora hrrer-omorpha Pter.ophyllum sculare Tunichrhvs ulhonuhes Corydorus ueneus Cor.vdorus julii Gasteropelecws strigutics Gusreropelecus sternicia Percentage of total fish imported %) I 1.3% 5.4%.7%.4%.4%.0% 1.5% I.5% I.3% 1.% 1.1% 1.0% 1.O% 0.8% 0.5% 0.% 0.1% n.a. n.a. 64.0% 4.3% 14.8% % 0.5% 5.0% 1.% 8.4% n.a. 1.7% 11.a. 1.1% 1.5% 3.% I.5% 5.% 0.5% I.6%> 1.3% % 59.% mental fish import and export value also indicates that U.S. trade flows may include a substantial amount of transhipments. For example, the largest volume of ornamental fish imports in terms of value occurred in March, but the export values peaked in April. Thus, a portion of the value of U.S. exports is produced domestically while the remaining product is imported or exported, for example, from/to Singapore, repackaged and exported to other parts of the world. Although there are numerous import and export business houses, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Tampa have the brokerwholesale enterprises that trade most of the ornamental fish shipments. Ramsey (1985) suggested these broker-wholesale houses serve single retail pet stores at nearby population centers and pet warehouses at other major cities. The other less used ports (Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, etc.) may serve directly to pet dealers and whole- salers in the immediate vicinity of their respective city. Trade figures on the U.S. ornamental fish imports and exports indicate that the industry is expanding. As import and export numbers and value of ornamental fish increase, the U.S. net trade deficit also continues to rise. Imports of ornamental fish into the U.S. totalled $45. million in 1993, a 10% increase from 199 (USDA 1994). Exports of ornamental fish totalled $17.3 million (5% higher than the previous year) for a net trade deficit of $7.9 million. This latter value is a 13.9% increase in trade deficit from 199. The ornamental live fish industry has become the fastest growing segment of the U.S. aquaculture industry (USDA 1994). Domestic production of freshwater omamental fish is predominately practiced in the state of Florida (USDA 1994). Most of the ornamental fish in Florida are of fresh-

10 10 CHAPMAN ET AL. water origin and raised in outdoor ponds. Newly released figures indicate that Florida ornamental fish sales totaled $5.5 million in 1995, produced by some 05 farmers in approximately 580 ha of water surface area (FASS 1996). The survey showed that egg layers contributed $35. million and livebearers $17.3 million. The popularity and high value of the fish have placed ornamental fish production among the leading cash crops in the aquaculture economy. Currently few species are cultured domestically, the U.S. trade is based on foreign-cultured and wild caught species. The results of this study document the importance of the ornamental fish industry and identifies the most valuable species in the trade for potential domestic culture and protection in the wild. Acknowledgments We greatly appreciate the computer assistance provided by Jeffrey T. Rodrick and Michel Andre. Partial financial support for this work was provided by the Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA # ). Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. R Literature Cited Andrews, C The ornamental fish trade and fish conservation. Journal of Fish Biology 37(Supplement A): APPMA National pet owners survey. American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Scarsdale, New York, USA. Conroy, D. A An evaluation of the present state of world trade in ornamental fish. FA0 Fisheries Technical Paper No FASS Aquaculture, Florida agriculture. Florida Agricultural Statistics Service (FASS), Orlando, Florida, USA. Federal Register Rules and regulations, 45 FR (1980). as amended 55 FR 9731 (1990) and code of federal regulations (50 CFR 14, 10-9), importation, exportation, and transportation of wildlife. Hemley, G U.S. imports millions of omamental fish annually. Traffic USA 5(4):1. Pet Dealer The Pet Dealer 17th annual survey of independent pet stores in the US., The Pet Dealer, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA. Pillay, T. V. R Aquaculture: principles and practices. Fishing News Books, Oxford, England. Ramsey, J. S Sampling aquarium fishes imported by the United States. Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science 56(4):@45. USDA Aquaculture: situation and outlook report. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. AQS-1.